UH students sponsor bone marrow drive

HONOLULU- Student clubs at the University of Hawaii at Manoa will hold a bone marrow drive on Nov. 6, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Krissy Kobata, a 26-year-old from Los Angeles, Calif. A few months ago, Krissy was diagnosed with MDS, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a blood disorder that affects the body‘s production of bone marrow and the only cure for Krissy is a bone marrow transplant.

Krissy is of mixed ethnicity, half Japanese and half Caucasian, also known as "hapa". Due to her ethnic diversity, finding a donor match hasn‘t been easy. In California, there is a shortage of mixed heritage donors, however with the cultural diversity in Hawaii, there is a higher chance of finding a compatible donor for Krissy. Donors of Asian and mixed ethnicity are needed most because they account for fewer than half the database.

"The people of Hawaii have the reputation for sharing their aloha, and trying to find a match for Krissy is one of the many ways UH Manoa students are perpetuating this local value," said Chrystin Stalter, Community Services Director of the Public Relations Student Society of America. "Student volunteers from various clubs and organizations are banding together to host this bone marrow drive to help Krissy find a donor match."

For those who cannot attend, but still would like to register, please contact Hawaii Bone Marrow Registry at the Hawaii Medical Center at 547-6154.

For more information, on the November 6 Bone Marrow Drive, please contact uhprssa@gmail.com.